


Iron Kid!

by gmcraealva



Category: Avengers Assemble (Cartoon)
Genre: Age Regression/De-Aging, Avengers Assemble AU, Cookies, Cuddling & Snuggling, Food Fight, Howard has to play dad, Kid Tony Stark, Shovel Talk, This is too cute., Threats
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-12-21
Updated: 2015-06-30
Packaged: 2018-02-26 13:43:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 2,792
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2654138
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gmcraealva/pseuds/gmcraealva
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When the Time gem merges with Tony's arc reactor,  he accidentally gets turned 8. Having only just found his dad (Who had his death framed by HYDRA and stuck playing their pet) and having never been on good standings with him,  Tony must learn to be a kid and a hero again and Howard must learn how to be a dad. </p><p> </p><p>***************************************************************************************************************<br/>This is based off the Avengers Assemble episode "The Age of Tony Stark". I think kid Tony is adorable and i wanted to see more.... This is also kinda based off a RP i did with my best friend.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1: The Discovery

HYDRA was the possibly the easiest enemy to fight. Tony and Arsenal flew easily, shooting and firing in unison. The men seemed to be protecting something...or someone. 

"You seeing this, Cap? Defensive formation. Whatever they're protecting is behind that door." Cap tossed the shield and knocked out the last of the men, the others either on the floor or they ran. Tony landed and walked over to Steve, Arsenal landing behind him. "You wanna see what was so important that they didn't just run" Steve frowned, then nodded. "Yes.....whatever it is....let's just see. Then we can figure out the appropriate course of action" Tony nodded "At least then we can say we did our jobs...but here is what I don't understand. These coordinates were sent with an SOS....so where is the person who sent it...I see no bodies....unless they are behind this door. HYDRA didn't plan this out well....What can you hide in just two rooms?"

Arsenal started to make the door open with a laser while Tony scanned the room digitally and Steve scanned physically, opening boxes and looking around. "Tony, This is a lab...." This snapped him away from his diagrams. "What do you mean, Cap?" Cap gestured to the computers and the empty files on the several tables. "This is a lab set up...So if HYDRA has a new toy, it is behind that door and they would only need two rooms. One to design and one to build." It made sense and so when Arsenal said the door was ready to be opened, Tony and Steve braced themselves. The door flew open to what seemed to be a workshop. Whatever they had built was gone but for some reason, there was a cot in the corner....and life signs were coming from it. Tony motioned to the cot and they both started forward. Tony set a hand on his shoulder and the man whipped around.....and Tony was met with his eyes  
**********************************************************************************  
Tony pulled off his mask and held it in his hands as the Avenge-jet took off. Steve was deathly quiet up front leaving him with the man who had his eyes....His dad....Howard.

"I....I don't understand. You DIED. How can you still be here?" The man looked up at him "You look like me...." Tony scoffed. "And he is drunk again...great" Howard flinched "I am not drunk....I just missed you kiddo. Why the hell would I work for HYDRA....if not to protect you" Tony rolled his eyes "You hated me. I don't why you would choose HYDRA and kill mom instead of running off but I really don't care. I moved on. I have a life now that doesn't include you" Howard flinched again, eyes filling with tears that he blinked away " I never hated you, Tony. I loved you more than anything...Yes, I was distant. But you never needed me there. I know I was a horrible father but....I just wanted to say sorry...and I didn't kill your mother HYDRA did..."

Tony rolled his eyes but his hands shook in the suit. Howard looked away and Tony saw the tears that fell. " We were headed up to get you. I...I saw a man standing in the road...and it was Barnes....I swerved not to hit him and we went over the railing. I...I reached over and she was....so I pulled myself out...I knew they'd go after you next...and I got in the old plane and I flew but I ran out of gas and landed in Paris....where HYDRA was...and they took me in...at first I refused to work...until they sent suicide bombers to be your friends...so I worked and kept my head down....I got their message...their deal...and I took it."  Howard wiped his tears. "I..they sent me pictures....videos...insurance they called it....I just got to watch you grow up...even if it was only in pictures." Tony snorted. "Great. Steve, why didn't you ever mention my dad was a nostalgia guy too? Makes it less interesting. " Howard stayed quiet but when started laughing hard when Steve replied "Because I'm flying a plane and we do not want a repeat of '45. If you do, keep talking."


	2. Chapter 2: The Begining of the Mess

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tony has to deal with his dad and the time gem is found, beginning the long string of messes following.

Tony put his drink down. Howard was killing him. He wouldn't let him do anything. He was an adult. He didn't need Howard telling him what to do, He had survived without his dad for 28 years.....But Howard was trying to be his dad again.

"Why are you drinking?! It is only noon."

He just rolled his eyes. He really didn't need to hear this. The scotch in his hand was doing a good job of blurring out all of his father’s insults, like always. He hadn't been sober since they found him. They got through the door and as soon as Howard heard all the stuff he had done, they started fighting. They hadn't really stopped but Tony didn't have time for this. He drowned the last of his glass and finished the last of the wiring on his gauntlet. It had been shorting out and it was wasn't all that fun to fly into buildings because his flight wouldn't stabilize.

"I think that is it, J, but get DUM-E to clean out the testing area. I need to KNOW this time."

JARVIS got it done relatively quickly, but just as he finished the test, Sam came over the speaker announcing that the time stone had made its location known. Tony was in his armor and onto the Avengjet in minutes. Steve seemed angry.

"What do you mean you don't know where the Time Stone is? You called us and said you did."

Tony stared at the empty map and then a thought hit him.

"Guys, we have been looking at this wrong. It's not where the Time Stone is-" Sam cut him off

"But when it is. Awesome!"

Suddenly the ship beeped, alerting them they were at the coordinates.

The team gathered on top of the roof of the jet, all carefully watching Tony as he flew to the EXACT coordinates.

"Ok. If my calculations are correct, and of course they are, The Time Stone should reappear right here..." he raised a hand, palm up the catch the stone when it fell. “In 3...2...1..." The Stone appeared right at one. “And look at that, right again" Then suddenly, the stone flew into his reactor, shutting off its power and sending him tumbling over the edge of the ship.

“JARVIS, REBOOT!"

But JARVIS didn't respond and the suit only dragged him closer to the water. Suddenly Thor was there to catch him. The Armor still wouldn't turn on. All they could do was sit Tony in a chair and fly back to New York after Sam had made sure that no temporal disruptions had been made.  
 *********************************************************************  
But that didn't last. When they landed in New York, Dinosaurs and Killer Robots were running amuck, Hulk and Thor got Tony to that lab and told JARVIS and Howard to get Tony out so he could fight before running off with extra weapons for the team.

Howard sighed when JARVIS told him how to cut the suit open, the only way to get it off of him at the moment.

"You Ok, Tony? It'll be ok. I'm going to start cutting you out now ok."

"Dad? Can you hurry? I feel trapped."

Howard froze. He hadn't heard Tony's voice sound like that since.....

"Working on it, kiddo." Howard got all the way to where Tony's knees should have been before his small feet were able to be seen. Howard gently tickled them which got a laugh out of Tony before he kept going. Every piece he cut off revealed more of a Tony Howard regretted that he didn't see as much. He finally gets to the mask. Tony asked for a mirror and Howard handed him one.

A piercing scream filled the tower for a second.


	3. Chapter 3: Of Tears and Hugs

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tony is 8. His memories are intact but that doesn't mean that his emotions are. Howard will finally see just how bad of a father he was the first time around. And he's going to fix it.

Howard takes the mirror from him. Tony is ashen-faced and shaking.  "I'm a KID!? How is this even possible"  

Tony knew this was a result of the stone but his mind was too frazzled to care. When Howard came forward to comfort him, Tony braced for the drunk, angry words. Howard stopped when Tony flinched. He waited for a beat and when Tony finally looked up at him with scared, confused eyes, Howard's heart broke.He stepped forward and squatted down, gently taking Tony's face and running a thumb under his eye."Hey....You're alright. You. Are.Safe.Tony. I'll take care of you.....it won't be like before"

Tony scoffed "How do I know that? You are going to get a drink and then you'll hate me again." Howard smiled softly at him "Because I don't drink and Cap will beat me if I screw up." Tony giggled and when Howard moved to get up, launched himself onto the man in a hug. Howard quickly hugged him back, standing up while doing so. Howard held his son tightly. "I'm sorry...I'm sorry....I love you....I'm sorry...I'm a terrible dad..."

Tony sniffled and hugged him. " 's OK. I don't think anyone else would keep me." and Howard thought his heart couldn't break anymore. "No, Tony. That isn't the case. That is never the case. You listen to me, Anthony. You are perfect and wonderful and anyone would be so happy to have you as a son. I couldn't see that. But I can. I can fix it..." Tony pulled away so he could look at Howard directly. "My name is not Anthony."  
***********************************************************************  
The Dinosaurs and robots were gone. They had disappeared. Into thin air. The Avengers knew this wasn't the end, though. Concern for Tony spread throughout the group as they took the elevator up. What they didn't expect to see was a kid Tony and Howard covered in flour and laughing. Tony turned at the sound of the elevator. "Steve!" He ran forward and jumped. Steve caught him and held him perfectly. Howard blushed. "Sorry....We made dinner and were starting on dessert...Um...Yeah..."

Tony tapped Steve on the head as a request to be put down and he rushed over to where his dad was. Tony was still Tony but instinct was more powerful than logic. He was acting 8 because he was physically 8 and his mind was trying to cope. He knew that look on his dad. Guilt. He was blaming himself again and Tony knew that his dad couldn't be sad. Sad led to drinking. Drinking led to screaming. Screaming led to Tony hiding. Howard immediately picked Tony up when Tony got there and Tony knew instantly that all guilt had left his mind.

"Come on, Anthony. Let's get the cookies finished and the kitchen cleaned up and then we'll get you a bath." Tony nodded, suddenly tired. He leaned his head against Howard's chest and he chuckled "or we'll finish the cookies tomorrow and we'll skip straight to dinner, bath,bed?" 

Tony frowned. "We can finish the cookies now. I can do it." Howard smiled and moved the flour-covered hair from Tony's forehead. "OK. We'll finish while the avengers take their baths." Tony nodded against Howard's chest and let himself be taken to the kitchen to finish the cookies.


	4. Chapter 4: The Talk

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Howard gets a revised version of the shovel talk from Steve. Warning: for more heart destroying feels for Tony.

Tony scarfed down everything put in front of him and Howard kept piling food because in all honesty, he was way too skinny and Howard wasn't sure he'd seen Tony eat anything in the few days he had been here before this happened.

Tony blinked up at Howard and the end of his third plate of spaghetti and then looked away as he yawned...and yawned...and yawned. Howard suppressed a chuckle and scooped the boy off of his seat. "Come on, Sleepy Pete. Bed Time"

Tony, of course, did his part of whining but Howard got him undressed and in the bathtub within 5 minutes. Tony was really too tired to fight back so it took Howard all of ten minutes to get him washed, dried, and into the Captain America footie pajamas Jarvis had ordered while they cooked dinner. Howard tucked him into the bed and turned on the Iron Man nightlight that had come with the clothes, shoes, and a few toys.

Howard kissed his forehead and ran his fingers through his hair one last time. "OK. Goodnight Tony. I'll be right next door if you need me. OK?" Tony nodded and settled into the covers better. "Yeah. I'll be OK. Good night, Dad"

Howard kissed his forehead one last time before turning out the lights and slipping out the door. Howard was in the shower, hair lathered up when a piercing scream came from the next room.

Howard paused for all of 3 seconds to tie a towel around his waist before he was running, praying nothing had gotten to Tony, that it wasn't HYDRA getting their revenge, that he was still alive and breathing.

What he saw when he burst into the room, was Steve comforting a crying Tony. "Tony, I'm telling you your dad is fine...."

Tony looked up when Howard came into the room and then he ran, vaulting himself into Howard's arms.

Howard hugged him tightly. "Shhh...Tony, don't cry. I'm alright" Tony's entire body was shaking with the force of his sobs and Howard was worried what exactly Tony had seen.

“You can't die...I don't want to be all alone again...please" Howard made a mournful sound and if possible, hugged Tony tighter.

“I am not going anywhere, Tony. Ever. You won't ever be alone again. Because even if anything happened to me, Steve would take care of you. Steve would protect you. But not even HYDRA will keep me from you. Not ever again"

Steve slipped out of the room past them and Howard waited until Tony had calmed to set him back into the bed. Tony was clingy. And it took a lot of coaxing to get Tony to sit down.

"Tony, I am just going to rinse out my hair. OK? I am going to turn on the TV and leave all the lights on and I’ll be right back" Tony sniffled.

"Promise you will be back?" Howard sets him gently on the edge of the bed and runs gentle hands through his hair. "I promise. Jarvis, if you could please turn on a children's program?"

Tony smiled as whatever a SpongeBob was, was making some glorified hamburger. Howard quickly made his way to his room and back into the shower. Howard finished his shower and was hurrying out of the bathroom when someone cleared their throat.

Steve sat patiently on the edge of Howard's bed.

Howard turned toward him. "Steve? Is something wrong?" Howard was trying to dry out his hair as best he could with the damp towel, all of his thoughts on Tony in the next room.

Steve silently stood up and came over to Howard, his height making Howard have to look up and his scowling face.

"If this is some kind of sick joke, I swear I will pummel you into the ground. Have I made myself clear? Tony looks up to you and if you blow him off like before I will make you regret the day we saved you from HYDRA. Their imprisonment will be a lot better than what I will do to you."

Howard pushed Steve away. “I love Tony. And I never abandoned him. He never wanted me there. At least once a week, he told me he wished Captain America was his dad. So I kept my distance. He purposefully kept me away. And I would DIE BEFORE I LEFT ANYTHING HAPPEN TO MY SON. You need to watch yourself, Captain. I may not be as young or strong as I used to be but I’m just as deadly."

Howard pushed himself away and headed for Tony's room.

When Howard came in the door and Tony's eyes lit up.

"Daddy! You came back!" Howard could only smile and scoop him up.

"Of course, I did. I promised, didn’t I?"

Tony nodded sleepily against his shoulder and Howard ran a gentle hand through his hair.

"Ok, Kiddo. Time for bed again. Only this time, Daddy is staying to protect you"

Tony made a happy sound and climbed onto the bed and under the covers when sat down.

Howard laid down in the middle of the bed and Tony curled into a ball at his side, head on his shoulder.

"Good night Daddy" Howard smiled.

"Good night, Tony"


End file.
